People argue for and against law on keeping dogs
By Wesley Young | Journal Reporter
Published: February 19, 2010
Dog owners by the dozens turned out last night as the Forsyth County Animal Control advisory board heard comments -- pro and con -- about tethering or chaining dogs outside.
Most of those who spoke endorsed a ban on tethering, saying that it can be cruel for the dog and dangerous for children who might wander into the yard of a tethered dog.
Colleen Byers, speaking for the Forsyth Humane Society, said that her group fully supports a proposed ban on tethering.
"Relegating a dog to long-term isolation is simply cruelty," she said.
Another speaker, Pam Griffin, a member of a group called Humane Solutions, said that it is a "sad state of affairs" for a tethered dog.
"I've never seen a well-cared-for, happy, loved and well-fed dog on a chain," she said.
Another speaker, Mitch Cromer, said that the problem isn't the chain, but the dog owner.
"There are laws that say dogs have to have shelter and food," Cromer said. "It is not the chain that causes him to freeze to death. Dog fighters deliberately tease these dogs to kill -- the tether didn't do it. The overwhelming number of bites come from dogs that are unrestrained."
A tethering ban, if it comes, is still some time away. The advisory board is just that -- it will give its advice to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, which can pass or reject new regulations.
The advisory board will continue to gather opinions until the end of March.
Last night, Tim Jennings, the county's director of animal control, said that with more than 400 opinions collected so far, 373 are in favor of a tether ban and 41 opposed.
Some speakers said that studies have shown that many fatalities, especially of children, have resulted from people approaching aggressive and tethered dogs.
Jennings said that there haven't been any fatalities involving tethered dogs that he could remember in the six years he has been director, but that animal control has encountered cases of animal cruelty involving tethering in that time.
Under the proposal before the advisory board, tethering would be allowed in temporary situations, such as during hunting or camping, but not as a permanent way to confine a dog.
The proposal envisions phasing in the rules over an 18- to 24-month period, and helping people who need it with the costs or actual construction of a fenced area.
Two speakers from a group called Coalition to Unchain Dogs said they are already active in the county with volunteers who can build fences for dog owners. Using donations, the group is able to build fences and have dogs spayed or neutered at no cost to the dog owner.
State Sen. Linda Garrou, D-Forsyth, told the advisory board that she filed a bill in the legislature to ban tethering, but it didn't pass because of concerns from rural areas.
The advisory board didn't take any action on the tethering proposal last night.
wyoung@wsjournal.com
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